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Trauma-informed” is a term that comes up a lot in dependency court. We all strive to run a “trauma-informed” court, but what does being “trauma-informed” actually look like in practice? Judge Roxanne Formey of the Chatham County Georgia Juvenile Court and Professor Emma Hetherington of the University of Georgia School of Law will discuss the idea that using a “trauma-responsive” approach within a treatment court, through the lens of the ABA’s Model Rules of Professional Responsibility, is inherently trauma-informed and can serve as a model for all dependency hearings. Additionally, trauma-responsive approaches adopted by judges and the lawyers appearing before them, can promote more effective dependency court outcomes. This session will discuss the foundational principles of a trauma-informed approach, how the model rules support the approach, and what judges can do to ensure that trauma-informed practices are actually implemented in courts.
Resources
SAMSHA Concept of Trauma and Guidance for Trauma Informed Approach
ABA Model Act Governing the Representation of Children in Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Proceedings